Timeless tribute to Picasso’s legacy
By Saeideh Ehsani Rad
Staff writer
The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA), widely regarded as one of the world’s most significant modern art institutions, has once again opened its doors to showcase a remarkable selection from its treasured collection.
Since the museum cannot always put its vast collection on display, the museum occasionally takes the opportunity to bring out its hidden gems under the guise of temporary exhibitions. The last time TMoCA rolled out pieces from its collection was in late November, during the ‘Eye to Eye’ exhibition. Over the course of three months, the event showcased works by 120 Iranian and international artists, drawing an overwhelming response from the public. More than 2,000 visitors flocked to the museum, making it one of the most well-received exhibitions in recent years.
The latest of these exhibitions has placed the spotlight on Pablo Picasso, featuring over 60 of his works spanning different periods of his artistic journey.
The exhibition, a rare opportunity for art enthusiasts, presents a series of 12 aquatints from Picasso’s ‘La Tauromaquia’ (‘The Art of Bullfighting’), alongside several other key works from the TMoCA archives, including ‘The Painter and His Model,’ ‘Open Window on the Rue de Penthièvre,’ ‘Baboon and Young,’ and multiple versions of ‘Weeping Woman’. Complementing Picasso’s works, the exhibition also brings together pieces by internationally acclaimed artists such as Georges Braque, Robert Delaunay, Fernand Léger, František Kupka, and Joan Miró, as well as Iranian masters like Bahram Dabiri, Bahman Mohasses, Jalil Ziapour, Mohsen Vaziri-Moghaddam, Mohammad Ali Shiva (Kako), Garnik Der Hacopian, Hannibal Alkhas, and Parvaneh Etemadi.
Nod to art history
Reza Dabirinejad, museum consultant and art heritage expert, stressed the importance of exhibitions like this in revisiting art history. “The museum has the privilege of holding outstanding works from both Iranian and international modern art. Showcasing them allows us to reflect on the evolution of art, both globally and within Iran,” he explained.
He further pointed out that periodic exhibitions serve as a valuable refresher for younger generations—especially students who were not around a decade ago to witness past displays. “Given the passage of time and generational shifts, these exhibitions provide an essential touchpoint for reintroducing and reinterpreting historical works. Museums are not just about preservation; they also play a crucial role in fostering an educational experience, helping audiences engage with and better grasp the significance of art movements both nationally and internationally.”
Picasso, his contemporaries
The selection of artworks was not random. As Dabirinejad noted, “We deliberately chose works from artists who were Picasso’s contemporaries, such as Braque, Delaunay, Léger, Kupka, and Miró, to put his artistic journey into context. By doing so, we give visitors a clearer picture of the artistic and social movements that unfolded around him.”
Picasso, one of the defining figures of modern art, left a lasting impact not only on global art but also on Iranian modernists. Several Iranian artists, whether during his lifetime or posthumously, found inspiration in his work. Experts curated the exhibition to highlight these connections, drawing parallels between Picasso’s various artistic phases and Iranian painters like Mohammad Ali Shiva (Kako), Jalil Ziapour, Garnik Der Hacopian, and Mohsen Vaziri-Moghaddam. “Some of these artists’ works bear striking resemblances to Picasso’s different periods, demonstrating the extent of his influence,” Dabirinejad added.
Museum diplomacy, Picasso’s timeless message
When asked why TMoCA chose to spotlight Picasso at this particular moment, Dabirinejad pointed to the broader role of museums in global dialogue.
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